The present invention relates generally to an insert molding process for producing an electrical connector as well as the electrical connectors produced thereby. More specifically, the invention relates to an insert molding process, in which an electrical connector is formed by injection molding of an insulative housing material and by accurately setting and retaining a group of terminals in place within the mold prior to and during the forming of the connector housing.
Electrical connectors have long been used for establishing connections between electrical or electronic circuits and one or more conductors disposed on a printed circuit board or other electrical element. Typically, an electrical connector has a housing formed from an electrically insulative material and a plurality of conductive terminals arranged within the connector housing in a predetermined pattern and in a predetermined pitch or terminal-to-terminal spacing. In some applications, it is desirable that the terminals are integrated with the connector housing.
In such an instance, the installation of the terminals as a group within the connector housing is typically performed either by press-fitting the terminals into portions of the connector housing, or by setting the terminals into a mold and insert molding the connector housing around the terminals.
As can be appreciated, it is essential for the electrical connector that the configurations of respective terminals in the group of terminals are uniform prior to and during molding, and that the respective terminals are accurately aligned with a correct pitch and correct attitude. In insert molding, the group of terminals are formed by stamping and/or forming the terminals from thin metal stock. The group of terminals are then set within the mold at a predetermined correct pitch and attitude. However, the molding material enters the mold under high injection pressure during molding and this injection pressure generates forces that may be applied directly to the terminals. These forces may often cause a fluctuation of the pitch between the terminals in the terminal group and sometimes may also cause a deformation, such as bending, in individual terminals, resulting in degradation of the expected precision of the connectors.
The present invention is therefore directed to a connector construction with beneficial terminal retention characteristics and a connector molding process that overcomes the aforementioned problems.